Pig industry DVD provides complete swine introduction

A DVD providing a comprehensive introduction to the pig industry has been uploaded to the British Pig Executive website. The video gives a complete grounding in everything from artificial insemination through different production systems to finishing and marketing groups, according to BPEX.
The aim was for it to have as wide an appeal as possible to anybody entering the industry who needed to understand how it works. “This is a one-stop shop for people who want to know about the industry," said BPEX Head of Communications Andrew Knowles. “Many organizations will have new starters who will be closely involved with the pig industry but may not have much background knowledge of how it all works."
As well as being available as a DVD, the video is on the BPEX website so people can dip in and out of it as needed. “It will be of great value, not only to pig businesses as part of their induction, but also to civil servants and retailers who need an understanding of the industry,” said Knowles.

British pig industry recruits TV star for Bacon Connoisseurs' Week

The British pig industry has recruited Angela Rippon, one of the country’s favorite TV news presenters, to help them encourage people to eat bacon and raise awareness of the range and quality of bacon produced in the country during what has been labeled “Bacon Connoisseurs’ Week.” Rippon, the first female to present the news on national television, will be championing the diverse range of premium cuts and cures of bacon produced throughout the UK through her support of this year’s Red, White & Bacon Awards on March 19–25. Four categories, including the "Rasher-nal Treasure" awards, will be open to entry and regional butchers, supermarkets and branded bacon producers will be invited to showcase their finest bacons in the competition. It is hoped this promotion will lead to long-term benefits for the industry by boosting the number of people eating British bacon and other pig meat products. 

Vion launches campaign to promote British pig meat consumption

UK pig meat processor Vion Food Group has enlisted TV personality and winner of a TV cooking competition Nadia Sawalha and food psychologist Dr. Christy Fergusson to help it launch the second phase of a major campaign to encourage more UK consumers to eat British pork.
The company aims to raise awareness of the role fresh pork plays in a balanced nutritious diet for its New Year's promotion entitled, "Eat Yourself Happy." The promotion will launch following the results of the latest consumer research into people’s New Year's eating habits and will comprise of media relations, digital marketing and social media, helping to inform and inspire consumers. “As a leading UK pork processor, we have a central role to play in promoting fresh British pork and educating consumers about how to incorporate it into their diets," said Vion's sales and marketing director Melody Chapman. “The latest initiative in our ‘Put Pork on Your Fork’ campaign, ‘Eat Yourself Happy’, aims to help consumers broaden their repertoire and experience new cuts of British pork through exciting recipes and helpful videos from both Nadia and Dr. Christy. By promoting quality British pork, we’ll be helping to support British pig farmers and increase the value of the category as a whole.”  

British Pig Executive report shows pig producer confidence down for 2011

A new British Pig Executive survey has revealed that pig producer confidence is at an all-time low, with the confidence index dropping to 30.2 compared with 2010's 45.8. Roughly 53% of producers feel less confident about the market this year than they did last year.
The confidence index for non-producers also dropped, from 97.1 in 2010 to 92.2 in 2011, with 35% of them feeling less confident this year than last year. According to the report, return on investment uncertainty is a significant factor in the current mood; producers are far more likely to invest in buildings, plants or machinery that are seen as necessary for replacement or to increase efficiency and productivity. Expansion is not, for the most part, an important motivating factor for 2011.
Survey respondents were also less optimistic about the industry's financial situation, with only 7% feeling more optimistic about the general financial situation for 2011 (2010 number: 39%).

UK pig producers attack processor profits

British pig producers are accusing the country’s retailers and processors of making “serious profits” from pork and pork products, while the country’s pig farmers are facing crippling and unsustainable losses.
The claim appears in a new report from the British Pig Executive, BPEX, called Profitability in the Pig Supply Chain.
It reveals that in the 12 weeks to January 23, 2011, British pig producers amassed losses of £35 million (US$57 million), while over the same period the processing sector’s profits were estimated at £100 million and retailers enjoyed combined profits of £192 million from pork and pork product sales.
“The report clearly illustrates that while pig farmers are operating at a loss, the rest of the supply chain is making huge profits,” said BPEX head of marketing, Chris Lamb. “The sustainability of the pig industry is under severe threat.
“The prospect of losing huge numbers of pig farmers who can no longer afford to produce pigs is very real. The supply chain needs to act – and act now.” 

British Pig Executive leader honored

Mick Sloyan, recipient of the Pig Industry Distinguished Service Award.

The head of the British Pig Executive (BPEX), Mick Sloyan, has been presented with a surprise award – the Pig Industry Distinguished Service Award – for his dedicated service to the pig industry.
Presenting the award, the country’s National Pig Association (NPA) chairman, Stewart Houston, said: "The NPA has been keen to acknowledge the huge contribution Mr Sloyan has made to the industry for some time, but he has always heard about it and managed to duck away from it.
“This time he can't! The Pig Industry Distinguished Service Award is a one-off that has been organised entirely without his knowledge and there's nothing he can do about it.”
Mr Houston added: "Mr Sloyan’s position at the head of BPEX has highlighted his strategic thinking helping guide the industry through difficult times; the concept of the first pig strategy, the Road to Recovery, was his and he must take his share of the credit that the industry came through those dark days of the last decade. And he is still here helping to shape the future.”

British pig farmers set to grow, despite feed price headaches

Feed prices are causing headaches for British pig farmers at the moment, as feed wheat futures prices soar to £175 a ton in September 2011, compared with an actual price of below £100 in May this year.
Net producer margins (which are described by the British Pig Executive as “a reflection of the true sustainable cost of production, including depreciation of buildings etc) have fallen from plus £7.7/pig in July this year to minus £12.8 in October.
Revealing these disappointing figures to producers in the East of England at the beginning of November, BPEX market analyst James Park warned there was little likelihood of feed prices falling in the short term.
However, UK production was still expected to rise to 785,000 tonnes next year, compared with the estimated 759,000 tonnes this year, as producers adapted to the new conditions and rationalised production to meet growing domestic and export demands.
BPEX is hoping that the UK will soon get the green light to export “fifth quarter” pigmeat, such as ears, to China. At least two British processors have already been approved by the Chinese authorities.

Top UK pig producer wins national award

Meryl Ward is presented with the latest David Black Award for services to the British pig industry by UK farm minister Jim Paice (at right) and BPEX chairman Stewart Houston.

One of the most influential pork producers in the UK has become a national award winner for her “significant and sustained contribution” to the British pig industry.
Meryl Ward received the 50th David Black Award at a ceremony in London. With her husband, Ward runs a combined pigs and arable business in eastern England that includes a breeding/finishing unit of 2,200 sows on which electronic feeding has been used in group gestation yards for the past 20 years. The enterprise also has a farm shop and conference center. She is on the board of the British Pig Executive (BPEX) and a member of the Farm Animal Welfare Council. Ward was also instrumental in establishing Agskills as a national training/scheme for pig-unit personnel.

Rising feed prices raise alarm

The rising cost of wheat, barley and soya, the main ingredients in pig feed, is expected to push the British pig industry back into the red by the final quarter of 2010, according to a new report from the British Pig Executive (BPEX).
And it warns that, as the grain market is global, other European pig producing nations are also likely to experience hard times in the near future.
“Based on current and forecast prices for wheat, barley and soya, it is anticipated that the cost of English pig production will rise from 137.2p per kg in June this year to 146.35p by November 2010, which means negative returns for every pig slaughtered, subject to future movements of the pig price,” says the report.
It continues that this grim prediction follows reports of the worst drought for 130 years hitting Russian grain crops, which has made the world nervous about the availability of wheat from Russia and the Black Sea region.
There is also concern about the poorer-than-expected yields of barley in Europe and the Black Sea region, as well as robust international demand for soyabean, especially from China, which could push prices up, in spite of an anticipated record US crop in 2010.

UK looking at opportunities in offal

British pig producers are linking up with the country’s beef and lamb sectors, as well as the Food Chain and Biomass Renewables Association (FABRA) to find new profitable and environmentally friendly ways to deal with the “fifth quarter”.
A conference jointly organised by the various groups will be held this September and will cover all parts of the fifth quarter of cattle, sheep and pigs including offal, blood, bones, hides and skins and casings.
Delegates will look at new market opportunities for offal, the processing of edible co-products and the environmental impact of animal co- and by-products.
Head of exports for the British Pig Executive (BPEX), Jean-Pierre Garnier, said: "For the first time we are trying to link all elements of the chain from on-farm factors, processing quality, exports sales as well as minimising the environmental impact of these activities.”